U.S. Congressmember to attend immigration community forum in Fresno

Radio Bilingüe, the National Latino Public Radio Network, announces that U.S. Congressional Representative David Valadao (CA-21) has confirmed participation in the special live town hall meeting on immigration reform to be broadcast from Fresno City Hall on Monday July 1 from 5 to 7 PM PST. A senior representative of the office of Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) has also confirmed participation. The bilingual community forum is open to the public and will provide a platform for dialogue between constituents and federally elected officials on immigration reform, including the future for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country, 380,000 of whom are estimated to live in California’s Central Valley. The dialogue is more critical than ever now that the focus of the debate has moved to the U.S. House after the U.S. Senate passed an historic bill this week with bipartisan support.

Other featured speakers will include Manuel Cunha, president of the Nisei Farmers League; Mayor David Cardenas of Fowler; Diana Tellefson, executive director of the United Farm Workers Foundation;Rev. Dina González-Piña of Fresno Pacific College, and others. Rep. Jim Costa and Fresno Sheriff Margaret Mims have offered taped remarks to be presented. Young immigrant leaders will also speak, at a time when fewer youth are now applying for the benefit of temporary protection under DACA, the Deferred Action for Children Arrivals program.

The broadcast of the open forum in English and Spanish from Fresno City Hall will be made available live to audiences throughout the San Joaquin Valley (through KSJV-FM 91.5 in Fresno, KTQX-FM 90.1 in Bakersfield, and KMPO-FM 88.7 in Modesto), and throughout the nation over Radio Bilingüe’s satellite network. Radio Bilingüe’s nationally-distributed talk show Línea Abierta will air a tape-delayed edition of the forum the following day July 2 at 12 noon PT over its satellite network. The programs will also be available online via webcast and podcast on www.radiobilingue.org.